Nevermore
by SombreroWearinWriter
Summary: The sequel to Up in Flames. What happens when Bella has revenge on the mind, and not even Edward can stop her? She's an unstoppable force now with a strange power no one understands. And what of this Robert? And and an ancient prophecy? Read on!
1. Preface

**Hi, all!!! I'm so happy. I got so many good reviews on "Up in Flames" and that made me happy!! Okay, moving on... I give you the preface of "Nevermore." This is just after Charlie dies, mind you. So she's pretty upset and heartbroken and all that good stuff. And I'm sorry that it's so short, but think of it this way: I had SO much trouble making it THIS long!!! Hehe... Writer's block is like a friggin' party, baby! So, without further ado, I give y'all the preface of "Nevermore!!" And please, please, PLEASE review like crazy, like on the previous story. I need motivation, and y'all are it. Thankee! Sharky was here.

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I lunged forward, my teeth bared. He cowered against the wall with crimson eyes. I saw the fear in those eyes, but I surged forward. Strong arms encircled my waist, but I clawed and bit at them until they released me. I ran forward and scratched at his trembling granite body. His eyes squinted in pain and then glazed forward before turning to ash when I set fire to him. He deserved this for killing Charlie.

The same stone arms that restrained me earlier stopped me before I went any further.

"Bella, Bella, wake up," my angel's voice murmured in my ear. I turned around and he melted away into nothingness. Nothing. Nothing stopping me, restraining me. I ran out the door of my father's old house and ran until I could run no more. I screamed and hollered and howled in agony, fury, terror. Shadows followed me. I stopped against a tree and shrieked as the shadows moved to engulf me. I felt a nudge against my arm and came to. I had been daydreaming again. But this time, I screamed instead of biting my lip. The horrified shriek rumbled through me like an unstoppable train.


	2. Plain and Simple

**Okay, so this is a friggin' awesome start, at least, I think so. And "the nerve of that boy!" to write Edward and Bella... Well, boys will be boys, and occasionally, they will be morons, too, huh? Read on, my faithful reader-people! It's gettin' good!**

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I glared at the painful reminder, the taunting letter. _The reason is still unknown._ Damn right it wasn't. I was beginning to suspect that this…this…_Robert_ person was to blame. But I really had no basis on these accusations. It was a hunch, and a possibly stupid one at that.

Edward sauntered into the kitchen, dropping a small pile of mail on the table across from me.

"More letters and cards. There's one from your mother, Angela, Jessica, Lauren, _Mike_…" He trailed off and I sensed there was more.

"Who else?" I demanded. His face contorted into a look of disgust.

"Billy and Jacob Black," he spat as if the names scalded his tongue. But I lit up. Any positive communication between Jake and I was fine by me, of course. But I wasn't quite ready. I had the image of Jake's crumpled face burned in my mind. So instead, I reached for Jessica's letter.

_Dear Bella,_

_Hi. I know we haven't spoken since graduation, but when I heard about your dad, I had to talk to you. I'm so sorry for you and Edward. I know he was a great man, respected so much in the crappy little town. I've been accepted at NYU. I'm thinking about stopping by your place sometime. I'll probably bring my boyfriend, Phillip. Anyways. I'll talk to you. Tell Edward that I said hi!_

_Jessica_

I sighed and put the letter down on the table. How she had managed to turn a grieving letter about my father into a letter about herself was beyond me, but I had to admit that she had a skill in that area, at the very least. I replaced the letter and took Lauren's from the pile.

_Bella,_

_I know that we've never been friends, but I'm sorry about your dad. He was a good man and a good friend to my father. If there's any way, any way at all, that I can help please let me know. Please tell Edward that I said hi, and that I am truly sorry._

_Lauren._

Wow! Lauren was being nice! And she was sorry. Still slightly shocked, I took Mike's letter.

_Bella,_

_I'm sorry. For everything. Your dad, the forest, everything. Please forgive me. Write or visit me._

_Mike._

I was truly appalled at him. The nerve that boy had! I put the letter back into its envelope and put it back into the pile, silently pushing away from the table. Edward was confused, so I turned to him to explain.

"I can't see any more. I feel like…like…I feel like it's all too much!" I cried, burying myself in my dear husband's chest. He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt a solid gesture saying: "There, there. It'll all be alright." I hugged him back and we stood in the middle of the kitchen for who knows how long, silently rocking.

We had been given a house the day we arrived home from the honeymoon. The Cullens had overheard Edward and I talking about buying a home in Alaska or New York or even Europe, and so, when we got home from our travel, (we ended up going to every single place I'd told him I'd wanted to go. He remembered the interviews and the endless questions he had asked about where I wanted to go, where I'd been, and he took me to every single one for our honeymoon) they flew us out to England where they had bought us a beautiful old house. It was three stories with so many rooms and bathrooms. It was an ancient place with modern accommodations. Especially when Edward bought the computer and the "necessary" huge wide screen plasma television. The rest of the house, save for the office (we had an office and a library) and the home theater, were old and elegant and otherworldly. The perfect place.

Edward swiftly picked me up and carried me upstairs and to the library. He sat me in one of the antique black leather wingbacks as he sat across from me in the red leather settee, from the same era as the chair I was sitting in. He moved forward and kissed me, his full lips barely touching mine. I pulled back first before standing. I pulled out a dusty volume and cracked open the spine. I read fervently, my eyes flying over the page, ignoring my love. He was startled.

"Bella, are you alright?" he asked. His voice was worried. I still ignored him. "Bella? Bella, at least tell me what you're reading." I silently showed him the title page and went right back to reading. I knew it was in one of the books! I just had no idea which, so I had to look through each. But where was it?! I had to find it. Otherwise, the Volturi wouldn't be very pleased. And no one wanted that, now did they?


	3. Italia

**Hey, all! I will give you chapter two in a second. I just wanted to say one thing real quick: the reason why Bella's looking through books to find the mystery thing will be explained in this chapter! Also, it'll explain something else. I just don't know what. You'll find out when I do... So, after I post this, I'm off to go play tennis and possibly basketball with my best friend. Heck yes. Read on! Sharky was here.**

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I rifled through the third volume I got my hands on, a copy of _Lord of the Flies_. Still nothing. I was beginning to panic. The Volturi expected a response within the week, and I couldn't even find the damn letter! When I'd gotten it, it said specifically to keep it from Edward. He had come to me just as I was opening it, and in my haste to hide it, I forgot which book I'd slid the letter into. Where the hell was it?

Just as I was looking through the pages of yet another book, Edward came home from work. He was an intern for some psychologist. I found it humorous that Edward would sit in the back of a room, taking notes, and listen to insane ramblings with a rational and calm outlook. As far as I was concerned, he hadn't laughed out loud once. And that was surprising to me.

"Bella, I'm home!" he called up the stairs. I panicked and slapped the book shut. My throat was dry as I yelled back to him, telling him where I was. He came into the library and swept me into his arms.

"How was work?" I asked, trying not to let my voice betray my feelings. It worked because he grinned down at me and kissed my lips. He spoke against my mouth, his breath humming against my skin.

"It was alright. But I missed you. Come on," he murmured, taking my hand. He led me to our room and shut the door. His grin was ecstatic and impish. I drew my arms around his neck and he pushed me onto the soft white duvet on the bed. But just then, the doorbell rang. We groaned in unison, laughed at ourselves and each other, and ran down the stairs, racing. I had grown exponentially faster, and I could run just as fast as my husband. And that was fast, even for a vampire. I reached the door first and twisted the bronze knob. I stared at the man on the doorstep.

"Bella Cullen?" the man asked. He was slender, pale, and had dark brown eyes. His hair was messy and dark black. He looked as if he hadn't gotten enough sleep…

"Yes, that's me," I told him, still studying his appearance.

"I'm Robert Harold…" he said, hoping I'd recognize the name. It took me a moment.

"Oh, Robert! Hello. Would you…like to…come in?" I asked hesitantly. He smiled and let me lead him into the main room. Edward and I perched on one of the black leather sofas as Robert sank into an armchair beside us.

"Bella, we have figured out what killed your father, and you might not believe me, but…" He trailed off. I stared expectantly.

"Go on. Try us. There isn't much that we won't believe," Edward told him. The man took a deep breath and smiled at us in apology for what he was about to say.

"Believe it or not, he was killed by…vampires," the man told us. I looked at Edward. His arm was gripping the arm of the sofa.

"V-vampires?" I asked slowly. I was right, but that didn't make it any better. Robert nodded slowly. I examined his face. And up close, I could tell in a heartbeat what was wrong with this picture, and it only added to my assumption.

"Was the coven from Forks?" I demanded angrily. Robert looked at me, his eyes wide. His chin dropped and his mouth gaped wide open. I jumped up and stood in front of him, demanding he look me in the eye.

"I said, was the coven from Forks?" I asked again. He closed his mouth, swallowed, and looked at me with false incredulity.

"Oh, Bella. You're so silly. Wherever did you get that—" I cut him off, grabbing his neck. It was cool, just as I'd anticipated.

"Robert, I'm not an idiot. Tell me if the coven was from Forks. If not, tell me where they're from. I know that you're a vampire. I told you. I am not mentally incompetent, and I demand an answer now!" I yelled. His eyes grew.

"How—how do you know?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Because, it's not very difficult to pick out a member of the species. We, Edward and I, are vampires, part of a vegetarian coven."

"Vegetarian? How on Earth do you manage that?"

"It's simple for me. I don't like human blood very much. Never did," I told him calmly. He was still amazed.

"Bella, the coven wasn't Forkian, but I have identified where they were from."

"Where?"

"Italy."


	4. Now You Know

**Hahaha!!! The production of pure boredom after I've read some good book (the Naming!) and now, there's a new secret with Bella. Ooh yea. I'm happy-ful. Okay. I write. And to you. Yay for writing-ness!!**

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I stared at the man, unable to do anything but blink. I closed my eyes. Breathe. In, out. In, out. I opened them and felt calm. The eye of the storm. I let a horrendous scream sear through the air. Never-ending, never needing a breath, just going. The unstoppable train returned. Edward's hands clasped my shoulders and pressed me to him.

_Calm down,_ I told myself_. No need to get all hysterical, Bells._ I breathed slowly. They were from _Italy._ Possibly Volterra.

"D-do you know _where _in Italy?" I asked with a shaky voice. This couldn't be happening!

"Unfortunately, yes." And I felt the room spin sickeningly. It was the Volturi. It had to be the Volturi. No! I was going to kill them! Kill them and burn them to a cinder! All of them! I screamed again. Edward's hand slapped over my mouth, muffling the horrified shrieks. He kept whispering assurances into my ear.

"Where from, Robert?" My voice sounded as if it came from someone else.

"Florence. No, they are not a part of the Volturi," he soothed. I relaxed. But tensed again when I noticed his voice again. The Italian accent.

"Mr. Harold, where are you from?" I asked, not bothering to mask the sheer panic in my tone.

"I'm from…Greece." His voice sounded sure. But I didn't believe him. He had to _think._

"I see. And where in Greece?"

"Athens. Yes, I am from Athens, Greece." He wasn't Greek, but I couldn't be sure. I fine-tuned my mind and focused on him. He was lying through his teeth.

You see, my power is strange. It is multi-fold, and I had yet to discover many of those folds. I could tell if someone was lying, I could search through their memories and move them so that they forgot it, I could direct their line of attack to someone or something else, and I could see through any disguise, whether physical or mental. No one could hide from me.

"Mr. Harold, tell me again, where are you from?" I demanded furiously.

"Athens!" he yelled. I ran forward and grasped his collar. I was also unnaturally strong, despite my appearance.

"You are not from Athens! You are from Florence!" I shouted at him. And he froze. He stared at me, unable to hide his shock.

"Yes… I am. But how the hell could you have known that?" he asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Now you know my power, Robert. No one can hide things from me. Or Edward, for that matter."

"Your power? You're the one! You're the prophetic one!" he cried in pure glee and awe. My hand dropped from his collar. I froze and stared at him. No one recognized me or my name, except for a few covens, such as the Cullens or Volturi. So how could this stranger have heard of me? One more glance at Edward's guilty face…guilt? I _knew_ there was something he wasn't telling me!

"What did you say?" I demanded, confusion colouring my tone.

"You're the one of the prophecy," he whispered.

"Edward, tell me what the nice man is talking about," I hissed through my teeth. I glanced over at my husband, whose eyes were cast down at the floor.

"A very old, ancient prophecy, Bella. I'm sorry, but your power. It's famous! I apologize if I frightened you, but, we tend to grasp at any hope, any hope at all," Robert told me in a rush.

"Prophecy?" I repeated. Me? I was nothing more that a freshly turned vampire married to perfection in human form. I was just a still somewhat clumsy but incredibly fast and smart blood-drinker. I had a special, strange power, but I was not a prophecy. I was not hope, none at all. So why was this man telling me that I was a part of a prophecy?

"Yes. Carlisle told me about it a while after I was reborn. I didn't think it was true, but when you finally discovered your power, we were all sure that you were the one…" Edward muttered to me. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, but my feet refused to move.

"What exactly _is _this legendary prophecy and how do I fit in, really?" I asked them. Edward shot a nervous glance at the door and ran into the library. A heartbeat later, he was back, clutching a very ancient looking scroll in one hand. I wasn't prepared for what he then read.

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**Ooh! Sort of a cliffy! Hahaha!**


	5. The Lily

**Hiya! Sorry I haven't posted in forever. I couldn't think of anything to write. The fun feeling, eh? Well, here's the nexy chapter, though. The Lily. I give you the next chapter, what-the-heck-ever chapter number it is!! B) Sharky.

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The Lily

_The lily of the snow,_

_The unreadable and impossible rose of the night,_

_The bringer of Hope and light to our people._

_Might she be given by Destiny to bring about the end of a reign,_

_And will end the never-ending rain._

_The shadow of beauty, the eclipse of amazing, inhuman,_

_Wielding the sword of the Sun, and the strength of the Moon,_

_With a star protecting and standing beside her._

_And a dancing planet at her side with the rest of the sky._

_She will end the Italian creatures and introduce_

_The Creatures of the Night to hope, pure and beautiful._

_She is the lily of the snow, the meaning of beauty._

_Strange powers prevail within her,_

_Seeing through masks, the many-fold mind of_

_The lily. She is our moon, our sun, our sky. Our hope._

"And you're sure this is me…" I nervously told them. They nodded fervently. I couldn't believe it, but deep down, I suppose that I embraced this. But it was so impossible!

"You are the bringer of hope. You are the Lily!" Robert exclaimed. I shook my head.

"The meaning of beauty, Bella. Bella does mean beauty in a few languages," Edward reminded me.

"It's a coincidence," I mumbled.

"It's too coincidental to be a coincidence," Edward said slowly. I shook my head in disbelief. Me? It couldn't be me. It had to have been someone else.

"N-no! It's a coincidence," I repeated. Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and softly kissed my neck. I just shook my head with wide eyes, unable to grasp this. I took my husband's arms from my waist and walked slowly to the library. I flopped down on one of the chairs and stared at the rug. I traced the intertwined vines that wove through the pattern for hours while Robert and Edward spoke. I made no effort to listen to them. I just stared at the rug until I heard them saying goodbye. I sighed and silently walked down the stairs. I went into the kitchen and grabbed the phone.

"Bella?" Edward asked.

"Yea. Just calling Alice," I told him quietly. I dialed the number and waited impatiently for someone to answer the phone. After half a ring, Emmett picked up.

"Hello?" he asked. I smiled. He was so comforting, a hold on home.

"Hi, Emmett. Is Alice there?" I asked him. He laughed and said yes. After a moment of silence, a female voice sounded.

"Hi, Bella!" she exclaimed. I smiled to myself.

"Hey, Alice. Have you had any visions of me?" I asked her, nearly silent, hoping my husband's hearing didn't pick it up.

"No," she told me. I didn't believe her for a second, but I tried not to let on. I took the phone to the living room and sat down where Robert was a mere minute ago.

"Are you sure?" I tried to keep the tension out of my voice.

"I'm positive. Why? Has something happened?" she asked. Her voice dipped so low, that even I had to strain to hear it.

"No, no, everything's fine. Just curious," I told her, laughing nervously.

"Oh. Okay, I guess. I'm coming over next week," she told me happily. I grinned. "Everyone's coming, actually. And I'm bringing a guest."

"A guest?"

"Yep! You'll be so happy when you see them," was all she told me. Emmett told her that the hockey game was gone. "Oh, I gotta go. By, Bella! Tell Edward I said hi!"

I hung up and turned to Edward.

"Guess what."

"What?"

"The family's coming soon. They're bringing a guest, apparently," I reported.

"Anything else?" he asked. His brow furrowed slightly.

"Just that Alice said hi. Nothing else."

"Bella…" he trailed off.

"What?" I was getting worried.

"Nothing… Just that Robert found some new evidence. A…scrap of black wool. Like the kind of wool in the cloaks the Volturi wear." I froze.

"I'm sure it's not related…"

"I'm sure it is."


	6. A Little Visitor

**Sorry I haven't written in so long! I've been busy. Okay, so here's some more of the story... Short chapter, I know, but I'm working on it. And I told you he'd be back! The little visitor, the kid from _Up in Flames_, my little favorite human... NATHAN!! Whoo-hoo! Read on! Sharky.

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A few days later, I had found the letter. While Edward was at work, I discovered it, much to my pleasure. I hastily scribbled a response and an apology for the lateness and sent it before anything could happen.

I was finally able to relax and really read a book, and when I had just began reading the first page of _Cry, the Beloved Country_, someone knocked on the door. I sighed and ran down the stairs to get it.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice cooed when I opened the door. Her hair was curly today. She had apparently been trying out new styles, and decided that curly hair was her new thing.

"Hi, Alice!" I yelled, throwing my arms around her, laughing. It had been six months since we'd last seen each other, and the reunion was nice. I heard a child's voice, then. The voice brought back memories of the Salt Lake City airport…the plane ride from Utah to New York… Was it… But it couldn't be…  
"Bella!" the little boy with the blond hair and huge grin cried as he ran up to me. I pulled him to me and spun him around.

"Oh, Nathan," I beamed as I put him down, "look at you! You're getting so big! How old are you? Eighty?"

His smile grew as he shook his head.

"I'm six now!" he said excitedly. I ruffled his hair.

"You're practically an old man!" I chuckled. He grinned and hugged me closer. Nathan had hardly changed, was one of the only parts of my life that hadn't changed. With any more change, I might have gone crazy. And no one wants a mentally unstable vampire, now do they?


	7. Letters

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The pile of letters on the kitchen table was suddenly inviting with Nathan and Alice there. She was sitting across from me, Esme and Edward on each side. Rose, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper were outside playing with Nathan.

I grabbed the letter with my mother's return address. A deep breath and I sliced it open. I couldn't do it. I refolded it and slid it back into the envelope. Alice's hand found mine and rested there. Esme smiled reassuringly.

"You can do this, Bella," Edward told me. I closed my eyes. Another breath. I took the letter again and opened it.

_Dear Bella,_

_Hi, honey. I'm so sorry about Charlie. So, so sorry. I can't believe I hurt him so much and then he died a few years later. I feel so awful. Phil thinks I should go into counseling, but I don't know. It will get better, won't it? It has to. It has to get better. I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't. I love you so much._

_Mom._

I sighed. I felt so bad for her. She was so upset. If I could cry, I would have. I understood that I wasn't the cause of this depression, but I couldn't help but feel sad for her. I was hoping that I'd wake up in my bed in Charlie's house, human and unmarried, still in high school. Most of all, I wanted him back. His crinkly-eyed smile, messy curly hair, the fish in the freezer, him sitting on the couch watching sports. I wanted him there with me. Of course, he'd die one day, but he couldn't die like this! Murdered and drained of blood. It was sick, wrong.

I sighed heavily and reached for the Blacks' letters. There was one envelope, thick with letters. Were there only two? It seemed like many more.

The first fell out.

_Bella,_

_I'm sorry about Charlie. I'm also sorry for antagonizing you those couple years. I'll miss him. We've heard about Victoria. We are very happy now that she's gone, and the boys are no longer hunting. Again, sorry._

_Billy._

The next was Jacob's.

_Dear Bella,_

_How are you? I'm good, I guess. I'm a junior now. Remember that girl Quil asked out last year, the senior's girlfriend? Well, guess what: they're dating. It's so funny to see them together. He never changed, so that's good. I guess that's a good sign. I'm sorry about Charlie and what happened between us. Tell Edward that I said hello and that the treaty is still intact. But I guess it doesn't matter. Write back to me._

_Jake._

I had to see him to believe that all. Did he know about me? He must have. He had to have. And even though all of this had happened, I still loved him. He was still my best friend. But was I his best friend? I hoped so. I felt so sick now about how badly I'd hurt him. How could I have done that to him?

"Bella, Nathan's hungry! Do you have any food by any chance?" Jasper's voice had brought me back to reality and I smiled. Nathan. I had to feed him.

"No, Jasper. Where is he?" I called back. Nathan walked in, drenched and coated in mud. I laughed.

"What happened to you, kid?" Alice laughed.

"We played in the puddles that Emmett maked in the grass! It was fun." Rosalie's squeal made me laugh.

"Nathan, did you get Rose?" I chided playfully. A grin crossed his face.


End file.
